Coming Soon!
SGS 2015 Fall Seminar
Saturday, October 17
Nordic Heritage Museum
There is only a little more than 2 weeks before the SGS 2015 Fall Seminar on Saturday, October 17. Don’t miss out on your chance to hear nationally renowned genealogist and widely acclaimed speaker Dr. Tom Jones present “The Family History Detective: Finding Solutions to Your Toughest Research Problems.”
The four seminar presentations include: •Can Complex Research Problems Be Solved Solely Online?
•Five Ways to Prove Who Your Ancestor Was (Some Reliable and Others Not Reliable
•Inferential Genealogy: Deducing Ancestors’ Identities Indirectly
•Solving the Mystery of the Disappearing Ancestor
Register now! Mail or bring in the seminar registration form you recently received or register online by visiting http://www.seattlegenealogicalsociety.org/content/2015-fall-seminar-registration Deadline for ordering a lunch is October 13.
Seminar registration fee: $50 for SGS members, $60 for non-members
Special Interactive Classes Taught by Dr. Tom Jones
Sunday, October 18
Seattle Genealogical Society
Only 12 spots remain available for the Sunday special classes. Register now to secure your chance to work with Dr. Jones in a small group setting. The two classes include: •Research Questions and Hypotheses: Planning an Exhaustive Search
•Finding Immigrant and Migrant Origins
Special class registration fee: $35 for SGS members, $40 for non-members
Go to http://seattlegenealogicalsociety.org/fallseminar for full details on our fall seminar and special classes.
See you at the seminar!
BOARD POSTPONES PUBLICATION OF THE SGS BULLETIN
Despite our best efforts over the past 6 months, we have been unable to find someone to fill the currently vacant position of Director of Publications.
The SGS Director of Publications has three main responsibilities: •Serving as a member of the SGS Board of Directors;
•Publishing the SGS Bulletin, our twice-a-year print publication; and
•Overseeing the publication of the SGS eNews!, our twice-monthly email newsletter.
As an interim measure, we have tried to recruit a person or group to produce the next issue of the Bulletin, due to be published in early December. To make that deadline, the process should be underway now. These efforts too have failed.
With no other recourse, the Board has decided to delay publication of the SGS Bulletin. We want to resume publication of the Bulletin as soon as possible. If you can help, please contact Linda Fitzgerald at fitz3840@earthlink.net. Familiarity with publishing software such as In Design, Lucidpress or Pages (a Mac-based publishing software program) is desirable but not mandatory.
Anyone interested in knowing more about the Director of Publications position or suggesting possible candidates should contact the 2016 Nominating Committee at SGSNominate@gmail.com.
CONGRATULATIONS TO SGS MEMBER TRISH NICOLA
Patricia “Trish” Hackett Nicola, long-time SGS member and a professional genealogist, has recently been selected to join the board of trustees of the Educational Fund for the Board of Certification for Genealogists, a national organization.
Trish is an accomplished genealogist specializing in nineteenth and twentieth century family history research and historical research in Washington State. She has also researched the Chinese Exclusion Act case files located at the National Archives branch here in Seattle.
Congratulations on your appointment, Trish!
A Message from “Pass It On Writers’ Group” :
Writing Opportunities Available
The “Pass It On Writers’ Group” will meet every third Tuesday (10/20, 11/17, 12/15) this fall at the SGS Library from 10:30 am -12:30 pm. We are a group of four writers who write about our family histories, both in non-fiction and fiction formats. We are open to applications from possibly two more writers who might like to participate. We email submissions of our writing projects (such as a chapter, or several pages of a project) to our group about 2-3 days before we meet. We read and critique the submissions, and then discuss each person’s work at our meetings. We would like applicants to 1) have some previous writing experience, 2) have work that pertains to family history, and 3) possibly have previous experience being in a writers’ critique group. I will do a phone interview with applicants. Please contact me, Susan Haas, at sdbph@aol.com or call me at 206-522-0693. Thank you.
COMPUTER HELP SESSIONS FOR NOVICES?
Do you wish you knew more about your computer or tablet, and how to make better use of it in your genealogy research? Do spreadsheets or file attachments intimidate you?
If there’s sufficient interest, SGS may be able to help by offering periodic workshops led by a group of knowledgeable members. If you’d like to see SGS offer such workshops, please email the topics or issues you’d want us to address to SGSSecretary@gmail.com.
If you’re an intermediate user or expert in any aspect of computer use (various Windows operating systems, MS Word, Excel, etc.), and would like to help fellow SGS members by participating in such workshops, please let us know! SGS has a varied membership, and most members have experience, knowledge or expertise in areas that others could use.
Treasures Found in the Library! – By Nancy Parks
I am having the best time volunteering at the Seattle Genealogical Society and working with the Library Committee! In case you didn’t know, we are an all volunteer organization.
I find it very interesting to read some of the materials I handle in my job at the library. One interesting item I found had gravestone inscriptions in the Mt. Hunger Cemetery in Lisle Village, Broome County, New York. (Library Item NY/4-1) This is one of them:
“My children dear assemble here
A Mother’s grave to see,
Not long ago I dwelt with you
But soon you’ll dwell with me.”
It is a bit grim, but interesting. There were others as inviting the living to join the dead seemed to be the thing to do back in the day.
I also found “Soldiers of the American Revolution : Who at one time were residents of, or whose graves are located in Chautauqua County, New York”. This is a DAR publication. If you haven’t found your Chautauqua County, New York ancestors this is a real find!
A book with a little different bent is “Franklin County, Ohio Adoptions 1852 – 1901”. This paperback book was compiled by W. Louis Phillips, C.G., copyright 1988 and published by Heritage Books, Inc.
Every state in the nation as well as some other country’s information may be found in our library. You may find only part of a collection, but the search is fun. You might find exactly what you need to complete that little genealogical puzzle or tear down a brick wall. This library is amazing!
SGS CALENDAR OF EVENTS
All programs are at the SGS Library at 6200 Sand Point Way unless otherwise indicated. Please Check the SGS Web Site for additions, changes, and corrections. Programs may be postponed.
Due to the Fall Seminar, the Irish and German Interest Groups will not meet this month and the SGS Library will be closed October 17 & October 18
Saturday, October 3, 10:15 am – 12:00 pm, ETHNIC SERIES
CANADIAN RESEARCH WORKSHOP and BROWN BAG LUNCH
This expanded Canadian Interest Group meeting will be an overview of researching your ancestors from our neighbor to the north including the ethnic groups of French and Scots settlers. Leader: Dave Roberts
Sunday, October 4, 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm,
PROGRAM MEETING: Spreadsheets 101: Excel-lence in Genealogy
Are you afraid of spreadsheets because you don’t know how or where to start? Or are you comfortable with spreadsheets, but think there might be a trick our two out there that you don’t know? In this hands-on workshop, Mary will get the beginners up to speed, and share with experienced users tricks she’s learned in more than 25 years of spreadsheet use as an accountant, a writer and a genealogist. Bring a laptop if you have one. Speaker: Mary Kirchner Roddy
Saturday, October 10, 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm,
SGS Membership Meeting includes a program on USING SOCIAL MEDIA for GENEALOGY: Including Facebook with speaker Julia Marconi. This modern research tool is becoming very popular and is easy to get started making connections and joining special interest groups. Also on the agenda, the important subjects of board member vacancies and SGS finances.
Sunday, October 11, 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm, ETHNICS SERIES :
SCANDINAVIAN WORKSHOP. Jill Morelli will introduce an overview of resources for the countries of Scandinavia.
The SGS Board has approved the formation of the new Scandinavian Special Interest Group. Email Karen Knudson at jerriamir@gmail.com if you are interested or have questions. Their first meeting will be on Saturday, November 7 at 1:30 pm.
Saturday, October 17, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm,
Seattle Genealogical Society Fall Seminar at the Nordic Heritage Museum
“The Family History Detective: Finding Solutions to Your Toughest Research Problems.” Speaker: Dr. Thomas W. Jones Registration required.
Visit http://seattlegenealogicalsociety.org/content/seminars for more information.
Sunday, October 18, Special classes with renowned genealogical editor, educator, research, and writer Dr. Thomas W. Jones. Space is limited and registration is required. Visit http://seattlegenealogicalsociety.org/content/seminars for more information.
Saturday, October 24, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm, DNA INTEREST GROUP,
Learn about new discoveries in DNA testing along with presentations by group members,Wedgewood Presbyterian Church, 8005 35th Ave NE, Seattle in the Fellowship Hall downstairs. For questions or to be added to the DNA group email list – contact sgsdnasig@gmail.com
Saturday, October 31, 12:00pm – 4:00pm, Halloween Open House – Come for some treats and learn new tricks. Program: “Dead Men Tell No Tales – Or Do They?” Speaker Jean A Roth will take us on a wild and wacky journey through cemeteries with some informative and unusual tombstones.
SAVE THE DATES
We will have several Beginning genealogy Classes in November – they will be posted on the website soon.
Saturday October 17 and Sunday, October 18
Seattle Genealogical Society Fall Seminar
“The Family History Detective: Finding Solutions to Your Toughest Research Problems.” Speaker: Dr. Thomas W. Jones
Visit http://seattlegenealogicalsociety.org/content/seminars for more information and registration
Saturday, November 14 – LDS EXPO
The free all-day annual Family History Expo has been scheduled for the Eastside at the LDS Redmond Stake Center. SGS will have a booth and there are many speakers and vendors. The website will be up soon at www.wafamilyhistory.net